First published 2001
Patrick "Pussy" Braden escapes the suffocating Irish town of Tyreelin, leaving behind foster mother Whiskers and her chaotic household. Twenty years later, Pussy works London's streets in satin miniskirts and flowing blouses, navigating the seedy bars around Piccadilly Circus. The 1970s bring more than just difficult clients and lonely patrons. Violence erupts across London and Belfast as political tensions reach a breaking point. Pussy gets pulled into this dangerous world where survival becomes uncertain. McCabe crafts a story that moves between comedy and tragedy, following a transgender protagonist whose search for acceptance and love collides with the brutal realities of the Troubles. The novel balances humor with heartbreak as Pussy's resilient spirit faces forces that threaten to destroy everything she has built.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, contemporary
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, resilient-protagonist
Setting: Ireland, London, Belfast
Period: 1970s
Paperback · Picador UK
Content warnings: violence